Present clinical studies have focused on the pathophysiology and neuropharmacology of eating disorder syndromes including anorexia nervosa and normal weight bulimia. Serotonin turnover was found to be reduced in bulimic anorectics in comparison to restricting anorectics. During a phase of binge eating, dopamine turnover was reduced in normal weight bulimic patients in comparison to controls. Assessment of Alpha2-adrenergic sensitivity to clonidine showed supersensitivity in low weight anorectic patients, with subsequent subsensitivity during the refeeding phase. Studies of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis showed blunted corticotropin responses to corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) in low weight anorectic patients. Metabolic studies showed significantly decreased caloric requirements and low plasma insulin levels in normal weight bulimic patients during the binge-free study period.